224 



MARK TWAIN'S SKETCHES. . 



" Six months — an abundance. Leave it to me. I'll raise it." 



" What do you mean, John ? How on earth can you raise such a monstrous sum 

 for me ?" 



" Will you let that be my business, and not meddle.? Will you leave the thing 

 in my hands .' Will you swear to submit to whatever I do ? Will you pledge me 

 to find no fault with my actions.'" 



"I am dizzy — bewildered — but I swear." 



John took up a hammer and deliberately smashed the nose of America! He 



made another pass and two of her fingers fell to the floor — another, and part of an 

 ear came away — anotlier, and a row of toes was mangled and dismembered — 

 another, and the left leg, from the knee down, lay a fragmentary ruin ! 



John put on his hat and departed. 



George gazed speechless upon the battered and grotesque nightmare before him 

 for the space of thirty seconds, and then wilted to the floor and went into con- 

 vulsions. 



John returned presently with a carriage, got the broken-hearted artist and the 



